Michel Qissi
Michel qissi (* 12. September 1962 in Oujda , Morocco as Mohammed Qissi ) is an American actor , director , screenwriter and stuntman Moroccan origin.
Life
Michel Qissi started boxing at the age of seven. Soon after, he met the young Jean-Claude van Varenberg ( Jean-Claude Van Damme ), who at that time Shotokan - Karate exercised; the two grew up together, became good friends and shared their fighting techniques with each other.
In 1982, Qissi went to Hollywood with van Damme to begin a career as an actor in action films. They had their final breakthrough in 1986.
After receiving an interview with Menahem Golan of Cannon Films , they were both able to secure appearances in three feature films, the first of which was the hugely successful Bloodsport .
In Cyborg (1989), Qissi worked as van Damme's personal trainer, but did not appear in the film himself. In Kickboxer (1989) Qissi worked as a choreographer. When he overheard the production team saying they needed a tall, oriental-looking performer who knew a lot about muay thai , he accepted and got the role of Tong Po . Michel Qissi had already studied Muay Thai in Thailand years before.
Qissi's last film with Jean-Claude van Damme was Leon (1990), in which he plays a legionnaire who is supposed to bring van Damme back to the military. He then returned to his role as Tong Po in the sequel Kickboxer 2 (1991).
Filmography
- 1984: breakin '
- 1988: Bloodsport - A True Story (Bloodsport)
- 1989: Karate Tiger 3 - The Kickboxer (Kickboxer)
- 1990: Leon (Lionheart)
- 1991: Bloodchamp (Bloodmatch)
- 1991: Kickboxer 2 - The Champ Returns (Kickboxer 2: The Road Back)
- 1993: To the Death
- 1993: Terminator Woman (also director, film editing & stunts)
- 2001: Extreme Force (also director & screenplay)
- 2001: The Falkland Man
Individual evidence
- ↑ cf. http://www.imdb.de/name/nm0702680/ (German)
Web links
- Michel Qissi in the Internet Movie Database (English)
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Qissi, Michel |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Qissi, Mohammed (maiden name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American actor, director, screenwriter and stunt performer of Moroccan origin |
| DATE OF BIRTH | September 12, 1962 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Oujda , Morocco |